Patrick Oconnell
Many people wonder what the blue line in Humboldt Fog cheese is. This unique and delicious cheese is a goat's milk cheese made by Cypress Grove Chevre in Arcata, California, located in Humboldt County. It is named for the local ocean fog that rolls in from Humboldt Bay. But is it a blue cheese?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Cheese | Soft-ripened goat's milk cheese |
| Manufacturer | Cypress Grove Chevre |
| Manufacturer Location | Arcata, Humboldt County, California |
| Texture | Creamy |
| Flavor | Floral notes, herbaceous overtones, and a clean, citrusy finish |
| Acidity | Mild |
| Layer | Four distinct layers: a bloomy rind, oozy creamline, cake-like paste, and a thin layer of vegetable ash in the center |
| Line of Ash | Edible, odourless, and tasteless |
| Similar Cheese | Morbier |
| Awards | Best of Class, American Cheese Society 1998, 2002, 2005, 2019, and Best of California, California State Fair 2019 |
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What You'll Learn
Why is Humboldt Fog cheese not a blue cheese?
Although it is a common misconception, Humboldt Fog is not a blue cheese. It is a handcrafted goat's milk cheese produced by Cypress Grove in Humboldt County, California. The cheese is named after the local ocean fog that rolls in from Humboldt Bay.
Humboldt Fog is a soft-ripened cheese with a creamy texture and floral, herbaceous, and citrusy notes. It is defined by four distinct layers: a bloomy rind, oozy creamline, cake-like paste, and a thin layer of edible vegetable ash in the center. This central line of ash is what leads to the misconception that Humboldt Fog is a blue cheese. However, this ash is odorless, tasteless, and completely edible, adding only a beautiful aesthetic to the cheese.
The cheese ripens from the outside in, as the cultivated mold used to create its rind breaks down the proteins in the paste, resulting in a gooey creamline under the rind. The vegetable ash in the center of the cheese helps to raise the pH of the goat cheese, encouraging mold growth and contributing to the formation of the rind. This process results in a mildly acidic flavor, with a stronger flavor near the rind, that is unique to Humboldt Fog.
Humboldt Fog is a mold-ripened cheese, which means it is made by introducing mold spores to the milk and allowing them to grow on the curds. This process gives the cheese its characteristic bloomy mold exterior and soft-ripened texture. Blue cheese, on the other hand, is typically made by introducing Penicillium Roqueforti mold spores into the cheese during the cheesemaking process, creating a different flavor and texture profile.
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What is the grey line in Humboldt Fog cheese made of?
The grey line in Humboldt Fog cheese is made of edible vegetable ash. This ash is odourless and tasteless and helps to raise the pH of the goat cheese, encouraging mould growth and contributing to the formation of the cheese's rind. The addition of ash is an ode to the French cheese Morbier, which also features a line of ash.
Humboldt Fog is a goat's milk cheese made by Cypress Grove Chevre in Arcata, California, located in Humboldt County. It is named for the local ocean fog that rolls in from Humboldt Bay. It is an uncooked pressed cheese made from pasteurized goat's milk.
Humboldt Fog is a mould-ripened cheese with a central line of edible white or grey ash. The cheese ripens from the outside in, starting with the bloomy mould exterior and resulting in a core of fresh goat cheese surrounded by a runny shell. As the cheese matures, more of the initially crumbly core is converted to a soft-ripened texture.
Humboldt Fog is defined by four distinct layers: a bloomy rind, oozy creamline, cake-like paste, and a thin layer of edible vegetable ash in the centre. The cheese has a creamy texture with floral notes, herbaceous overtones, and a clean, citrusy finish. As the cheese ages, its flavour becomes more intense.
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How is Humboldt Fog cheese made?
Humboldt Fog is a goat's milk cheese made by Cypress Grove, of Arcata, California, located in Humboldt County. It is named after the local ocean fog that rolls in from Humboldt Bay. It is an uncooked pressed cheese made from pasteurized goat's milk.
Humboldt Fog is a handcrafted mold-ripened cheese with a central line of edible white or vegetable ash, similar to Morbier. The vegetable ash adds a beautiful aesthetic and helps the mold grow on the outside of the cheese. The ash is odourless and tasteless. As the cheese matures, the cream line develops and the flavour intensifies. The cheese ripens from the outside in, as the cultivated mold breaks down the proteins in the paste, a gooey cream line develops under the rind.
Humboldt Fog has a creamy texture with floral notes, herbaceous overtones, and a clean citrusy finish. It is defined by four distinct layers: a bloomy rind, an oozy cream line, a cake-like paste, and a thin layer of vegetable ash. The cheese is creamy, light, and mildly acidic with a stronger flavour near the rind.
To optimise the quality of Humboldt Fog, the cheese should be kept cold (32°–40°F) and wrapped in waxed paper. It has an optimal shelf life of 98 days uncut for the 3lb and 5lb wheel and 84 days uncut for the 1lb wheel.
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What does Humboldt Fog cheese taste like?
Humboldt Fog is a goat's milk cheese made by Cypress Grove Chevre in Arcata, California, located in Humboldt County. It is a semi-soft, creamy, cakey, and gooey cheese with a distinct ribbon of edible vegetable ash in the centre. The cheese ripens from the outside in, as the mould used to create its rind breaks down the proteins in the paste, and a gooey creamline develops under the rind. The cheese is defined by four distinct layers: its bloomy rind, oozy creamline, cake-like paste, and a thin layer of vegetable ash in the centre.
Humboldt Fog is creamy, light, and mildly acidic with a stronger flavour near the rind. It has a creamy texture with floral notes, herbaceous overtones, and a clean, citrusy finish. As the cheese ages, it develops a rich creamline, and its flavour becomes more intense. The vegetable ash does not affect the texture of the cheese but adds sweetness and balances out the tanginess.
Humboldt Fog is great with fruit and pairs well with a very spicy hot pepper jam. It can also be paired with a dollop of Continental White Gold Honey and Murray's Sea Salt Crackers to bring out its tangy flavours.
Humboldt Fog is not a blue cheese, but the common misconception arises because of the grey or bluish-grey line of vegetable ash running horizontally through the centre of the cheese.
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Who makes Humboldt Fog cheese?
Humboldt Fog is a goat's milk cheese made by Cypress Grove Chevre in Arcata, California, located in Humboldt County. The cheese was conceived in a dream by the founder of Cypress Grove, Mary Keehn. Keehn's dream inspired her to pave the way for soft-ripened goat cheese in America. Cypress Grove has since partnered with Goldbelly for all cheese orders.
Humboldt Fog is a mold-ripened cheese with a central line of edible white or vegetable ash, similar to Morbier. The cheese ripens from the outside in, resulting in a core of fresh goat cheese surrounded by a runny shell. As the cheese matures, more of the initially crumbly core is converted to a soft-ripened texture. The bloomy mold and ash rind are edible and fairly tasteless. The cheese is creamy, light, and mildly acidic, with a stronger flavour near the rind.
Humboldt Fog has a microbial (non-animal) rennet type and an optimal shelf life of 98 days uncut for 3lb and 5lb wheels, and 84 days uncut for 1lb wheels. The cheese is handcrafted with care, offering a creamy texture with floral notes, herbaceous overtones, and a clean citrusy finish. As the cheese ages, it develops a rich creamline, and its flavour becomes more intense.
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Frequently asked questions
Humboldt Fog is a goat's milk cheese made by Cypress Grove Chevre in Arcata, California, located in Humboldt County. It is a soft-ripened cheese with a creamy texture and floral notes.
The blue line in Humboldt Fog cheese is a common misconception. It is actually a layer of edible vegetable ash that is grey or white in colour. It is similar to Morbier cheese and adds to the mould growth on the outside of the cheese.
Humboldt Fog cheese has a mildly acidic flavour with a stronger flavour near the rind. It has floral notes, herbaceous overtones, and a clean, citrusy finish.
Humboldt Fog is an uncooked pressed cheese made from pasteurized goat's milk. It is a mould-ripened cheese that ripens from the outside in, starting with the bloomy mould exterior. This results in a core of fresh goat cheese surrounded by a runny shell.
